Joe's Ancient Orange Mead

[user 152823]

I've got 2 gallons of JAOM brewing right now. 2 weeks in for the youngins.

Also, yes I am using the traditional balloon airlocks.

 

[jtd_419]

Update on my batches....
Unfortunately the mixed berries that i used must have been sweetened or something because both of those erupted violently while i was at work. Thought i would be safe since they were only 3/4 full. They are now only half full...... ouch

 

[Bosef]

I'm sure that most don't have the patience to wait this long, truthfully neither do I. But luckily I got so busy brewing that I forgot a couple bottles of my JOAM from two years ago. Do yourself a favor and become absent minded, this is certainly the nectar of the gods. It wasn't bad when I first had it over a year ago, but it still had some edge and some heat; I remember easily picking out individual flavors. Now it is amazingly smooth and balanced. I'm making a new batch this weekend and not allowing myself to touch it for 24 months. Two bottles was not enough.

 

[ThirstyVine]

Hi all,

I made a batch of this on the 17th Feb and as of today it is pretty clear but there doesn't seem to be any activity and it seems way to early to be ready. I didn't take an original gravity reading so I have no idea where I started at. Should I just let it sit and see what happens?

 

[CreamyGoodness]

Thirsty, when you say clear do you just mean it looks pretty or do you mean you can read a newspaper through it?

 

[Frige]

try to leave it. I am using my old Mr beer fermenter so I can take little samples. Bad thing is the little samples start getting bigger and when its ready there is not much left...LOL

 

[ThirstyVine]

Yeah it's not newspaper clear yet. So I am guessing just leave it for now

 

[fuzzy2133]

Apparently I should not be making Mead. I failed to calculate the amount of honey going into the water and also did not think to use less than 1 gallon of water. 4lbs of honey in 1 gallon of water does not equal 1 gallon in my Gallon jug. :smack:

I did take an OG reading though! About 1.110 (+/-2)

 

[LoneTreeFarms]

Apparently I should not be making Mead. I failed to calculate the amount of honey going into the water and also did not think to use less than 1 gallon of water. 4lbs of honey in 1 gallon of water does not equal 1 gallon in my Gallon jug. :smack:

I did take an OG reading though! About 1.110 (+/-2)

just put the additional mead/water in a smaller container for fermenting, you'll be fine.

 

[thombrew]

Hey, so the two months is up and I sampled my tweaked recipe, here's how mine turned out.

Given the fact that I used a stronger yeast than bread yeast, and the fact that I had a bit less honey than I was supposed to (beekeeper's going to give me a bigger batch for cheaper next time), the Mead doesn't taste much like honey. But it does taste great!

Since it's my first time, I was scared I'd screw up, but it's actually pretty drinkable. It's very dry, and tastes a lot like white wine. Also, it was a really good call not to add the skin of the oranges in with the mix. It would have spoiled the taste.

I actually like that it's dry. I'll be able to drink a lot without getting sick, unlike with a dessert wine.

All in all, good taste, just doesn't taste like honey enough. I'll be sure to add more honey (and maybe vanilla or whatnot) to the next mix.

Oh, also, I don't know the alcohol %. Gonna go buy the thing for that. I guess it's about as high as a normal wine.

 

[Robin0782]

I'm curious why people say you can't use a better yeast for this... I mean, because it will dry out too much? Can't you just tweak it a bit? Maybe backsweeten it if it dries out? Don't use the pith at all? I made a batch using bread yeast and I still cut the zest off in large strips and just used the juice, none of the pith. I know that what I'm suggesting makes it more complicated for a new mead maker and the idea is to keep it super easy, but I just want to make something a little better. My first batch is so hot after almost 3 months now, I still can't drink it. Maybe a different yeast would still take as long anyway?

 

[CGVT]

I just make it because it is simple.

If I had to piss around with it, I wouldn't bother making it.

 

[Robin0782]

I can appreciate that. But, right now mine is undrinkable. It tastes pretty good, if it just wasn't so damn hot with alcohol.

 

[CGVT]

Put it away and forget about it for a few more months.

 

[CreamyGoodness]

That is really all there is to it. And CGVT correct me if I am talking under school... but age it under airlock NOT under a screw cap... you lose too much O2... under an airlock you are good for quite a long while...

 

[CGVT]

That is really all there is to it. And CGVT correct me if I am talking under school... but age it under airlock NOT under a screw cap... you lose too much O2... under an airlock you are good for quite a long while...

Ha! I don't know. I have mine sealed with a plastic bag and a rubber band right now.

I've only made a couple batches, but at 3 months my first batch was so hot I though I was drinking lighter fluid. I let it sit for a couple more months before bottling and when I tasted it when I bottled it was starting to get good.(good enough that I started a 4 gallon batch) I figure a few more months it is going to be some pretty good stuff. I also figured it was a long time to wait for less than a gallon of anything, so I decided to make the 4 gallon batch.

 

[CreamyGoodness]

For whatever reason I thought you had made more batches of JAOM than I had. You have definitely made more beer!

 

[DanU]

After 5 months and a few weeks the fruit has dropped. It is still cloudy though, should I wait longer, or is it probably not going to clear at this point? I do have some super kleer. I don't have a problem with letting it age longer, but I don't want to leave it on the fruit too long and get bad flavors from that.

 

[CreamyGoodness]

Sounds to me like you might have jostled the fermenter a wee bit and kicked the lees back into solution (sooo easy to do with breadyeast). If thats the case give it a week or two and see where you are then. If it doesnt clear by then, I dont see any issue with racking and fining.

 

[ThirstyVine]

My mead that was made on 17 Feb is crystal clear now. But should I wait until the 17 th to bottle or bottle now? It's so close now that I am impatient. Also the fruit hasn't dropped yet

 

[JTW628]

I made my batch jan 28 and it still is a little hazy but the fruit has dropped. Should I just wait until the end of this month (3rd month)? Has anyone racked jao? I know wife wont try it unless its crystal clear lol.

 

[DwaynieAD]

I'm glad you didnt use the orange pithe with the D47. Keep us posted on the side by side when its done!

I read the first 60 pages of this thread before I started, seemed like a good idea to me.

the standard is all but clear and I'm still about 2 weeks out from the 2 month mark.

the D47 is starting to clear but still seems to be having a little fermenting action going on. still got some bubbling going on in the airlock.

I'm hoping these turn out well as I'm already plotting my next two batches. one with blueberry vanilla and a little buckwheat honey. and one with strawberry for the [soon to be] wife. they'd both be reach about 6 months of age right around our wedding date.

a picture of them on creation day.

 

[Antiwraith]

Question for the group:

My 1st JAOM 1 gallon jug is pretty clear, but the fruit is still floating. It's been sitting in a dark closet for 3 months and change. How is the best way to sample it without contaminating it? If it is still not ready, do I leave it on the yeast some more? Or bottle it and let it age in a capped bottle?

 

[Yesfan]

I plan on making this tonight. I'm going to do a 2 gallon batch, so I doubled my ingredients. A couple of questions.


Will a bubbler airlock be ok to use if I'm putting this in a 3 gallon better bottle?

I see 1 or two cloves for the recipe, so how many is "one or two"? I had to get these kinds of cloves.

Is it actually just "one clove"? These things are tinier than I was expecting! Is the Allspice the same thing (I got whole allspice)?

 

[CreamyGoodness]

Yes sir... those little guys are POTENT. I would say just ONE honestly!!

As for allspice, I'd crush up one allspice berry good and add. They are kind of strong as well, but nearly as much so as the cloves!

 

[Yesfan]

This is going to be an interesting mead. I put in 4-5 cloves and a "pinch" (3-4 unbroken pieces of allspice) for my 2 gallon batch.

 

[AbuMaia]

Yay! My 3-gallon batch (started Feb 2) is newspaper-clear, one raisin (now looks like a slightly dehydrated grape) has fallen, but there are still some bubbles rising. Should be ready to bottle soon, no?

 

[colorprinter867]

So, I made my first batch of this 4.5 weeks ago and I have a few questions. I followed the recipe exactly as written except i used some kind of generic amish bread yeast.

As it sits right now it is crystal clear. Should I bottle it now? Should I rack it off the fruit and let it sit the full two months before I bottle it? Should I stop being so impatient and let it sit on the fruit for two months? If I let it sit on the fruit for two months, should I rack it again and let it sit for another week or two to make sure I dont get any lees in my bottles?

 

[CreamyGoodness]

This is going to be an interesting mead. I put in 4-5 cloves and a "pinch" (3-4 unbroken pieces of allspice) for my 2 gallon batch.

Well, I suspect it will be rather clovey. Live and learn .

 

[siegeltim]

Hello I am concerned about a bottle of Joe's Ancient Orange Mead I stared on March 9th. I started a new batch tonight and when I weight out the honey I think I shorted the amount in the first batch. I measured out 3 1/2 pounds of honey for the first batch, but I did not weigh it but used the ounces on the bottle and put in an amount to 56 ounces. I problem is I am not sure if 56 ounces will equal 3 1/2 pounds. How does anyone think this will turn out and is there anything I can do to it?
Second thing is I looked at the bottle tonight and there is a white layer on the inside of the bottle and some white stuff on the fruit, is that normal or is there something wrong with the batch. This is my first try at this and I know it has only been 1 month but just wondering if I should dump it and start over?

Thanks
Tim